Love Hina: Stubborn Kind of Fellow
by Tsurumaki
Summary: Keitaro wishes to know more about the residential partygirl. Keitaro X Kitsune !UPDATED!
1. Episode 01: Fox Eyes

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Love Hina…

"Dammit," Keitaro huffed, storming into the kitchen. "I always get blamed for everything around here!" He paused in front of the refrigerator, taking a moment to pat the bruise on his left cheek. "I hope it doesn't swell…"

"Oh wow… She got ya good." Keitaro flinched with a start, unaware that he had company. Kitsune, one of Hinata's many boarders, sat at the far end of the kitchen table, fox-slit eyes staring coolly up at him over the rim of her beer can.

"K-K-Kitsune-san!" he stammered. "I-I didn't know you were in here!"

"What'd ya do this time?" she grinned. "Diddya sneak a peek?"

"N-NO!" Kitsune placed the can down on the coaster in from of her and rested her cheek against an open palm. Even at this range, it was impossible to tell what she was thinking. He could feel the beads of sweat forming at his temples.

"Well," she began, "Since you're already down here, ya might as well pull up a chair. Somehow, I don't think you'll be allowed upstairs for a while."

Keitaro sighed, inwardly. Had this been anyone else, he would have been more than happy to oblige, but this was Kitsune; the Master of Mischief. This was, no doubt, the bait of some cleverly laid trap that would more-than-likely lead to another beating. But, after mulling it over, momentarily, Keitaro failed to detect any obvious trickery and plopped down in the chair across from her. Kitsune smiled again before raising the can back to her lips and tipping the bottom up. Keitaro watch in silence, oddly taken by the way her neck pulsed with each swallow. His eyes trailed down past her collarbone to the open neck of her ill-fitting shirt. It was a simple top; just a starched white button-up, and yet, there was something… intriguing about the way she wore it.

"Another one down," Kitsune sighed. The clang of the empty beer can on the coaster roused Keitaro from his thoughts. Quickly, he looked off toward the window, desperately trying to conceal his blushing face. "Hey, Keitaro… Grab me another out of the fridge, would ya?" The landlord nodded and quietly made his way back to the refrigerator.

'I should have just left when I had the chance,' Keitaro told himself. 'I don't even know what I'm doing here…!'

"You can have one too, if ya want," she added, waving her empty can. He nodded appreciatively and retrieved two beer cans from the top rack on the door. Placing one down in front of Kitsune, Keitaro sat back down in his chair and stared silently over at her. The crack of the metal tab echoed through the kitchen, followed by the gentle fizzle of the rising foam. Keitaro hesitantly followed her lead.

'Why am I so nervous?' he wondered. 'Why do I feel so out of place?"

"Does it hurt?" she asked, sipping her beer.

"E-eh?" Kitsune motioned toward his cheek. "Oh! No, not really. It probably looks worse that it feels-…" Before he could finish, Kitsune bolted up in her chair and leaned out over the length of the kitchen table. Her hand flew to his face in a blur, stopping just below his eye. Keitaro twitched nervously in his seat. 'Wha-what is she-?!'

Suddenly, a cool sensation spread over the bruised area, starting at the center of his cheek and radiating out over the left side of his face.

"How's that?" Kitsune asked, pressing the can gently against his skin. Keitaro nodded, shakily. The corners of her lips turned up in a grin. "Well, if ya can blush like that, I guess you're alright." Realizing what she meant, Keitaro snatched back in his seat and muzzled himself with his own beer can. 'Too easy,' Kitsune chuckled to herself. 'Too easy!' Once the young landlord had finally settled down, Kitsune decided to strike up some casual conversation. She was bored and didn't particularly like to drink in silence, especially when she wasn't alone. "So, what DID you do to earn that shiner?"

"W-why do you want to know?" he asked. There was a hint of apprehension in his tone.

"Why not?" she shrugged. Keitaro sighed.

"I wanted to return a study packet to Narusegawa and accidentally…" His voice trailed off with the deepening blush that crept over his face.

"Naughty, naughty," she sneered behind her beverage.

"H-hey! That's not-! I didn't mean to-!"

"I know, I know." Keitaro let out a sigh of relief and chugged the latter half of his beer crushed the can bitterly between his hands.

"I always seem to get blamed for everything around here," he muttered. "Nothing ever goes right for me and it always feels like everyone's working against me…! If I knew it was going to be this hard, I would have-!"

"Given up?" she finished. He didn't answer. "Well, I can't pretend to know how you feel or anything, but I guess I can understand how that could get ya down. But if it's any consolation, I like having you around." Keitaro's eyes immediately lit up driving back the glum gray that darkened his features.

"R-really…?!"

"Sure," she smiled. "The house stays clean, the laundry never piles up and the meals are edible."

"Oh…"

"The others might not want to admit it, but it'd be pretty rough around here without ya."

"Thanks, I think…?"

"No problem," she nodded with a broad smile.

XXX

Two hours and twelve cans later, Keitaro announced that the kitchen fridge was officially fresh out of beer. Kitsune slumped back in her chair and clasped her hands behind her head. She was buzzed enough, she decided, and the trip had been well worth it. Keitaro shoved his face into his folded arms and sighed softly into the table-top. Unlike Kitsune, he had never been particularly good at drinking; his tolerance was average at best. Having lived at home for so many years, he never really had the chance or cause to experiment with alcohol.

"I'm gonna have such a headache, tomorrow," he groaned.

"I know, isn't it great?"

"No, its not!" he squealed. "And I was supposed to study, tonight, too!"

"Man, you've gotta learn how to relax," Kitsune sighed, piteously. "Don't people get ulcers from that?"

"Easy for YOU to say... You get to lie around Hinata House all day!"

"Ouch," she chuckled. "You calling me a slacker, Keitaro?" Keitaro paused, frozen under the gravity of what he'd implied. In truth, yes, he did see Kitsune as somewhat of a loafer, but making those thoughts known was the last thing he wanted to do.

"N-No!" he blurted. "I don't think you're a slacker at all!"

"Sure, ya do…"

"No! Really, I don't!"

"It's okay. I'm not enrolled in any schools and the only time I leave the house is to hit up a bar. I can see why you'd think I'm a good-for-nothing lay-about."

"I didn't say that!

"But, I'll let ya in on a little secret…" Keitaro's eyebrows arched up over his forehead. There was something about the way Kitsune was leering at him that he found particularly... unnerving.

"S-secret…?"

"That's right. Can you keep… a secret?" The soft, sultry tone in her voice sent chills up and down his spine.

"Yes…?" Kitsune sat upright in her chair and glances casually from side to side. Finally, when she was sure they were alone, she leaned down over the table amongst the forest of empty beer cans.

"I'm writing a book." Silence. "That's it."

"T-That's it?! That was your secret?!"

"Pretty much," she shrugged. "What, were you expecting me to tell ya: my bra size?" Keitaro blushed furiously.

"N-no, no! Nothing like that! I-!"

"Wanna see…?" Keitaro's flustered expression faded to a curious stare. Slowly, his eyes lowered to Kitsune's ample chest.

"I meant the book..."

"Oh, of course!" Keitaro laughed, nervously. Quickly, he tore his gaze away from the tenant. 'Gah! What was I thinking?! Stupid, stupid, stupid!'

XXX

"Wow…!" Keitaro stood slack-jawed at Kitsune's open door, staring into the dimly-lit room. Even in the dull glow of her small table lamp, his eyes could clearly trace the rows of bottles that lined her shelves. There were green bottles, brown bottles, clear bottles… Gold labels marked in German and Russian… It was a collection that rivaled even the most professional bars. Though he had seen it before, it was still quite a sight to behold.

"Well, are ya comin' in or aren't ya?"

"Oh! R-right…" Keitaro nodded obediently and stepped inside, closing the shoji door behind him. As he settled down on the floor, Kitsune made her way over to him, holding a stack of papers in one hand and a beer in the other.

"Here." Keitaro took the papers from her outstretched hand and began skimming. Gradually, his expression shifted, until at last, he was hunched over, staring down intently at the copy. "I started it a few months back," she explained, "but I doubt I'll do anything with it… You're the only one who's even…"

"Kitsune-san… This is AMAZING…!" he exclaimed, at last.

"Eh?"

"I had no idea you could write like this! The structure and diction…! The way you describe every little detail…!"

"Yeah, yeah," Kitsune muttered, dismissively.

"No, really!" The intensity in his eyes was as captivating as it was unsettling. "This is great stuff! You should definitely continue this!" Kitsune stared nervously back at him from behind her beer can. He sounded so insistent… So passionate. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. "You've got real talent," he continued. "I'll bet something like this would be a bestseller in no time at all…"

"Ya think so, eh?" she mused. "Alright, then… I'll do it."

"Y-You will?"

"Why not?" she shrugged. "I mean, since it means so much to ya, and all…" She couldn't help but smile as the landlord quickly regained his self consciousness and began to blush. "Well, I guess I'll hit the sack, now…"

"R-right." Setting the papers aside, Keitaro climbed to his feet and shuffled back toward the hall, stopping just short of the sliding door. "Umm… Just wondering," he murmured, "why me?"

"Hmmm?"

"I mean, we never really talk or anything, but you let me read your story… Why?"

"Maybe it's the booze," Kistune replied nonchalantly. "Or, maybe I trust you. Goodnight, Keitaro."

"G-goodnight…" Kitsune waited until the door snapped shut behind him before flopping back down on her futon. The ceiling swayed slightly through her alcoholic haze, though the tingling sensation was fleeting at best. Now that she thought about it, it probably was a bit of a gamble to show Keitaro her "secret." After all, it was something that no one else in the world knew about her. But, despite her doubts, there was a warmth in his eyes; an honest care; that let her know he could be trusted.

"Yeah," she whispered, "he's a good guy…"

XXX

Keitaro stood on the other side of Kitsune's door, eyes fixed on the floor beneath him. For the first time since he had met her, he felt he had actually learned something about Kitsune. Out of all of the Hinata dorm's tenants, she was by far the most elusive. He really didn't know anything about her. She had been the first to approach him in a non-hostile manner (granted; it was a ploy), yet she somehow remained a complete mystery to him. Just what lay behind those fox-slit eyes?

"Ugh… I'd better get to bed, too…" he yawned. He would have plenty of time to mull it over tomorrow. With that, the residential director turned down the hall and headed to his room.

**Author's Note:** This is my first Love Hina fanfic (odd, right?) I love this pairing, but I've only found one fanfic that addresses it (sadly, it's still unfinished). As always, feedback is welcome.


	2. Episode 02: Beat Me to the Punch

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Love Hina…

"And don't forget the pickles this time!" Naru called from the bathroom. Keitaro glanced back down at the shopping list and let out a long sigh. He had spent the better part of the morning polishing the upstairs floors and furniture only to find himself immediately obliged to clean up the juice spill Su had left by the hot springs. 'Hurry up before it stains the walkway,' Naru had instructed. Though, admittedly he was in fact the landlord, at times, he couldn't help but feel that he was being abused.

"I see she's got ya workin' extra hard today…" Keitaro whirled around with a start to see Kitsune grinning at him from the kitchen doorway.

"Oh, it's you, Kitsune-san… Yeah, I have to go out and pick up a few things."

"Z'at so? Well, you have fun with that…"

"Why don't you go with him?" Haruka interjected from the living room. Kitsune's posture slumped, visibly. She hadn't planned on leaving the house, today, but even she knew better than to argue with Haruka.

"I'll get my jacket," she sighed.

XXX

The warm rays of the afternoon sun beat steadily down on the bustling street. Fruit stands, restaurants and souvenir shoppes line the sidewalks in a veritable myriad of sights and smells. So much energy; so much excitement. It was the perfect day for an outing.

"I guess we should start by getting the molded fish paste and bean curb," Keitaro murmured as they made their way down the street.

"Oh, that reminds me," Kitsune replied, "mind if we swing by the liquor store? I've gotta restock on some stuff."

"Uh… sure."

"Well, well, well... If it isn't our old buddy Urashima," crooned a familiar voice.

"Wha-?! Kimiaki?! Masayuki?! W-what are you guys doing here?!"

"We could ask you the same thing," Kimiaki replied, pointedly.

"And who's the babe?" Masayuki added. "Don't tell me she's your girlfriend!"

"N-no!" Keitaro snapped. "It's nothing like that!" Suddenly, Kitsune lurched forward, locking her arms around Keitaro's shoulders.

"There's no need to fib," she giggled. "Are you boys friends of Kei-kun's?"

"As a matter of fact, we are! I'm Masayuki Haitani!"

"And I'm Kimiaki Shirai!"

"Mitsune Konno, but you can call me Kitsune."

"So, you really ARE Urashima's girlfriend…?"

"No, I already told you-!"

"Kei-kun and I are very close," Kitsune replied, drawing Keitaro closer. He could feel the yielding softness of her breasts as she pressed herself into him. "We even LIVE together…!" The low, sultry tone of her voice sent chills up and down his spine.

"N-now wait j-just a minute-!"

"Good job, Urashima! I'm actually kinda jealous! Who'da thought YOU could bag such a hottie?"

"Oh, believe me, he's ALL man! Just thinking about it makes me so…!"

"K-KITSUNE-SAN!"

"Aw, did I embarrass you, Kei-kun?" she chuckled. "I'm sorry, I'll go…! You stay here and catch up with your friends, m'kay?" With that, Kitsune withdrew her arms from around him and headed away down the sidewalk. As soon as she was gone, Keitaro let out a long, heavy sigh of relief.

"Man, you are SO lucky! You actually LIVE with her?"

"Well… yeah, I guess I do…"

Though it took some effort, Keitaro finally managed to distance himself from Kimiaki and Masayuki without giving them any money or getting mixed up in one of their schemes. Thanks to Kitsune, he had to concoct a fabricated reality on the spot just to avoid further embarrassment. How did she always manage to put him in such awkward positions, he wondered? After ten minutes of roaming he finally caught up with her in front of a flower shop near the port's draw-bridge.

"Oh, hey there, Keitaro! Where ya been?"

"Like you don't know! Because of you, I spent almost fifteen minutes covering that one lie! Thanks a lot!"

"Aw, I was just having some fun," she said, innocently. "You're not mad at me are ya?" Her lips puckered out in a guilty-looking pout. Keitaro's shoulders slumped in a submissive sigh. He couldn't possibly stay angry at her now.

"No, no, I'm not mad… Can we please just finish the shopping and go home?"

"What's the matter? Don'tcha like spending time with me?"

"N-no! That's not what I meant! I just…!" His excuse trailed off under the hiss of her subdued laughter. Once again, he had inadvertently played right into her hands. 'Great,' he thought, 'Twice in a row!'

"Man," she managed between chuckles, "you're way too easy, Keitaro!"

"Glad I could amuse you…"

XXX

"Wow… I've never been here before." Keitaro glanced from side to side, examining his surroundings. Halfway through their shopping excursion, Kitsune announced that she was "thirsty" and insisted on stopping at an outdoor café. The venue was comprised of a dozen white tables with matching chairs; each set with its own umbrella. Much to his surprise, Keitaro found it to be much more cultured than the places she normally suggested. Then again, the fact that it was the middle of the day might have had something to do with it.

"I used to come here for ice cream when school let out," she explained from behind her hefty beer mug.

"Oh."

"So, tell me, Keitaro… Exactly what do you see in Naru, anyway?"

"W-wha-?!" Keitaro sputtered. "W-why do you want to know that?!"

"Just wondering," Kitsune shrugged. "I've known the girl since high school, and to be honest, I'm not seeing the connection…" Keitaro's gaze shifted to his glass. Should he answer her? What if this was just another ploy; the set-up for another cruel joke at his expense.

"I… don't know what you mean," he said at last.

"Yeah, she's cute and all, but you're on two completely different levels, ya know?" As she spoke, Kitsune circled the rim of her mug with her fingertips. "I mean, have you tried going after any other girls?"

"Well… No."

"Ya may not be the smartest or best-looking guy out there, but I'll bet if ya tried, you'd find plenty of girls willing to try ya on… After all, ya never know who might have their eye on ya…"

"Thanks, but I don't think anyone has their eyes on me," he chuckled.

"Yeah, you're probably right," she smiled.

"Hey!"

"Maybe it's the glasses… Have ya every tried not wearing them?"

"I need my glasses…! I can't see anything without them."

"How about contacts?"

"Yeah, like I can afford them!" All of a sudden, Kitsune leaned over, reached across the table and lifted Keitaro's glasses from his face. Her hand lingered in the air, holding his spectacles just over his head as she examined his face. Keitaro's cheeks flushed red beneath her gaze. Why was she looking at him like that?

"Not bad," she grinned. A sudden surge of self consciousness roused the rounin from his haze.

"You're making fun of me again," he murmured bitterly, taking back his glasses.

"Think so, huh?" Keitaro looked up just in time to see a clever grin curl her lips before they disappeared behind the beer mug. As he watched her polish off the rest of her beer, Keitaro couldn't help but wonder what she'd meant by that.

XXX

The rest of the excursion passed without incident, much to Keitaro's relief. After they had finished grocery shopping, the two took their bags and boarded a streetcar. Though they had only been out for a few hours, it felt like they had spent the better part of the day out-and-about. On the way home, Keitaro did his best to make small talk, but for some reason he couldn't seem to find anything to say. At long last, the trolley rolled to a halt in front of the Hinata Inn. Home.

"Time for Happy Hour!" Kitsune announced as she sprang from the trolley door. Before he could manage a protest, the fox-eyed girl had already made it halfway up the dormitory steps, leaving him to carry the bags.

Five minutes later, Keitaro stumbled into the kitchen and collapsed in a heap, shopping bags and all. Every muscle in his body ached.

"Get off the floor, Keitaro," Naru stated, flatly. "And put the groceries away, before they spoil."

"Okay," he croaked. Gathering his last bits of strength, Keitaro pried himself from the cool, wooden floor and staggered toward the refrigerator. As he searched through the mountain of shopping bags, Naru poured herself a glass of water and leaned back against the kitchen counter.

"By the way, did you get the pickles I asked for?"

Keitaro froze. 'Oh crap!' he thought. 'I completely forgot!'

"Well? Did you?" Keitaro slowly craned his neck around to see Naru staring intently over the rim of her glass. Great, just what he needed; another reprimand. She'd never let him live this one down.

"Uh… Well… See, I…"

"They were out," Kitsune finished from the doorway.

"Out?! How can the store be out of pickles?!" Naru exclaimed.

"Hey, don't shoot me; I'm just the messenger," she replied, meekly.

'K-Kitsune-san…' A warm sensation crept through the rounin. Was she actually coming to his defense?

"Well, I guess it can't be helped, then," Naru sighed. Placing her glass at the bottom of the sink, the redhead turned and left via the living room.

"Kitsune-san…?"

"Hm…?"

"You… Why did you lie… for me…?"

"You're a good guy," she grinned. "Anyway, I'm gonna go have a few and take a nap… Try to stay in one piece, will ya?"

"R-right…!"


	3. Episode 03: Baby Seat

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Love Hina…

A low, howling wind swept over the countryside, rattling the bare branches of the surrounding oak trees. It was terrible night. Even the stars had hidden themselves behind the billowing storm-clouds that shadowed the landscape. At the top of the twisted hill stood a tall, weathered-looking castle. The stone walls gleamed against the sporadic flashes of lighting. The dual towers that loomed over the structure looked gnarled and twisted, even against the cloudy sky. Suddenly, a scream echoed from the second story window of the citadel.

"No… NO!" the doctor screamed. "It's a monster! A monster!" A flash of lightening temporarily illuminated the tiny room, revealing a large operating table, surrounded by an assortment of flasks, test-tubes and devices. The doctor turned and staggered out of the room, collapsing in a trembling heap on the hallway floor. "MONSTER!"

Keitaro pressed himself firmly into the back of the sofa, reflexively clutching a seat-cushion to his chest. The living room was completely dark, save the dull glow radiating from the television screen. He had never been particularly good at dealing with the horror genre. Unfortunately, there was nothing else on this late at night, and after only a few minutes, he found himself completely enthralled. He wanted to leave, but something inside him wouldn't allow him to turn away.

"MONSTER!" the television howled.

"Oh man," the landlord shuddered, "where is the monster? It was right there a minute ago…! Oh no… What if it-?!" Before he could finish, a strange sensation drew his attention to his left shoulder. "W-wha-?!" All word escaped him. His forehead chilled under the cool sweat collecting at his temples. There, resting by the crook of his neck, sat a single, monstrous hand. The long, bloated fingers curled forward in an arch, each one ending in a gleaming black claw. Its sickly green skin was covered in a network of bulging veins and blemishes. Every drop of blood in his body suddenly froze over. This was it. He was going to die.

Suddenly, in the midst of his panic attack, Keitaro spotted a mound of short blonde hair poking up from behind the sofa back. A pair of fox-like eyes emerged from beneath, followed by a Cheshire grin.

"Boo," Kitsune whispered.

"K-K-K-Kitsune-san…?! What are you doing, here?! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"I know!" she chuckled, barely able to restrain her amusement. "You…! Ya shoulda seen the look on your face! …Priceless…!"

"Ha… ha," he muttered, "very funny…" Kitsune stepped out from behind the couch and plopped down beside her fear-stricken manager, dropping the rubber monster glove on the coffee table.

"Aw… c'mon… Ya have to admit it was pretty good…!"

"Did you really come all the way down here just to scare the life out of me, or was there something you wanted…?"

"Nah, that was pretty much it," she shrugged.

"Figures."

"You sure are up late, even for you, Keitaro."

"I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd watch a little T.V. This is pretty much the only thing on, though…"

"What's it about?"

"Well, this doctor loses his wife to some rare disease, so he tries to cheat death and bring her back from beyond the grave. But, instead of reviving his wife, he ends up creating a horrible monster that breaks loose and rampages all over the castle…"

"That's it…? Pretty cliché if ya ask me…"

"Well, it IS late-night television; what do you expect?"

"Good point."

"Um… Kitsune-san?" Keitaro murmured, staring sheepishly off to the side. "I was thinking about what you said the other day… You know; about me dating other women… Do you really think I could pull it off…?" Kitsune arched a curious eyebrow at the blushing young landlord. Despite his reluctance, he seemed serious enough, she decided.

"I don't see why not," she said at last.

"R-really?! You think so?!"

"Sure," she grinned. "It's really not as complicated as everyone makes it out to be. All ya really need is attitude."

"Attitude?" he echoed. "What do you mean?"

"Well, it pretty simple. Take me, for example: I don't get dates just because I've got a killer rack… It's the way I carry myself. Ya have to be cool and sure. Make it look like you're God's gift to the world. That's when people will start to notice you. When someone seems sure of themselves, it makes everyone else want to gather around them. Call it envy, curiosity, whatever… The fact is that attitude can help even the ugliest mug; and you're not ugly by any means, Keitaro."

"B-but I'm not confident, like you, Kitsune!" Keitaro protested. "You have reason to be sure of yourself! You're beautiful, and smart, and fun…!"

"Well, yeah, I guess I am pretty amazing," Kitsune said, teasingly, "but you know, no one is confident ALL of the time…" Keitaro's eyes widened with astonishment.

"Wait… So you mean even you…?!" Kitsune's mouth turned up in a sober smile. He could hardly believe it. Every time he had seen her, she always wore the same, self-assured grin, no matter what the circumstances may be. Never once had he seen her falter or give in to uncertainty. Had all that just been an act?

Keitaro watched as she rose from the sofa and arched her back forward in a catlike fashion. As his eyes traced the smooth, generous curves of her form, he couldn't help but think of think of a feline stretching after a long nap.

"I think I'm gonna hit the sack," she announced, resignedly.

"Oh, okay… Goodnight, Kitsune-san."

"G'night." With that, Kitsune left the living room and climbed the stairs to her room. The waning smell of booze welcomed her upon entrance, the fading remnants of the night before. Kitsune took a moment to shed her shirt and pants before climbing down onto her futon. She noted how pleasantly cool the bedsheets felt against her bare skin.

"Confident, huh?" she whispered into her pillow. "I guess that's one way to put it." As she lay there amongst the ruffled fabric, her mind began to replay the conversation she'd just had. Images of Keitaro flooded her mind; the way he smiled, the way he blushed. As awkward as he was, she couldn't deny the latent charm she sensed, radiating from him. It would only be a matter of time before he, himself, realized this magnetism. The more she thought about it, the harder it became to resist smiling. "Keitaro Urashima… If I'm not careful, I might just end up falling for you…"

XXX

"No way!" Keitaro exclaimed, looking away from his window-washing. Because he had neglected to clean the upstairs bathroom the night before, the "Committee" decided to move up his window-cleaning duties by a day. This, of course, completely disrupted his normal time tables, but for some reason, he didn't mind so much. "You've got to be kidding!"

"I kid you not," Kitsune replied, sipping the foam from her beer can. "Three dates in one night."

"But… how?!"

"It wasn't that hard… I just convinced all three guys to make reservations at the same restaurant."

"Isn't that risky?"

"Probably," she grinned. Unbeknownst to the pair, a few of their roommates had gathered to spy on them from the cover of the kitchen. Naru watched them converse for a moment before turning to her companions.

"Is it just me, or do Kitsune and Keitaro seem to be getting a little chummy?"

"Indeed," Motoko nodded, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Chum-chum-chummy!" Su chimed in from behind.

"I wonder what's going on with those two, anyway…?"

"I am not sure, but I have definitely noticed an upsurge in the amount of time they spend together. Urashima must be up to something."

"I'm not so sure it's Keitaro we should worry about…"

"ACHOOO!!!" Keitaro paused to rub his nose with the back of his hand. "Oh… I hope I'm not coming down with something…" Kitsune hung around until Keitaro finished the downstairs windows, then retired to her room. For some inexplicable reason, she was feeling particularly creative today. 'Might as well type out a few words while I've got time,' she decided. No sooner had she pulled the typewriter out of its black, plastic case, Kitsune heard a knock at her door.

"Kitsune? It's me, Naru. Mind if I come in?"

"Uh… sure." Naru stepped into the room and slid the door closed behind her. "What's up?"

"You tell me."

"Hm?"

"You've been spending a lot more time with Keitaro, lately… Any particular reason why?"

"Naru, I'm surprised…!" Kitsune said, teasingly. "It's not like you to pry… If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a little jealous…"

"Me, jealous of that brainless pervert?! Y-yeah right!" Even Naru had to admit that her tone was less than convincing. "I-I was just wondering, that's all! If he knew what was good for him, he'd be studying, instead of chatting it up with you all day!"

"Touche."

"I didn't mean it like that…!"

"I know, I know," she chuckled. "Well, suppose I was to say I happened to be interesting in him… What would you say to that?"

"I'd say 'you're joking, right?' I mean, really, you can't be serious…!"

"Why not?"

"Why not?! Look at him! He's lame, he's stupid, he's clumsy, he's a total pervert, he never does anything right, and he breaks practically everything he comes into contact with! He's a walking disaster area!"

"Are you sure you don't like him?" Kitsune prodded. Naru felt her face flush red, though she wasn't sure which was more responsible; Kitsune's incessant repartee or her evasive responses to every question she asked.

"YES. I'M SURE!"

"I see…" Naru let out a long sigh of defeat. This conversation was going nowhere. She had know Kitsune for years, and if there was one thing she had learned, it was that if Kitsune didn't feel incline to disclose, you'd probably never know.

"Nevermind…" With bland look of resignation, Naru turned to leave.

"See you at dinner!" Kitsune could barely bite back a snicker as she watched her friend trudge out of the room and shut the door. 'Sometimes, I love being me…' she thought with a grin.

XXX

'A two, a five, a nine, a jack and a queen,' Keitaro thought, bitterly. 'Another bad hand.' So far, he hadn't won a single hand the entire night. Shinobu suggested they all do something "fun," after dinner, to which Kitsune proposed a "low-stakes" poker tournament. If nothing else, it had proved interesting.

"I'm out," Keitaro sighed, dropping his cards face-down on the table.

"As am I," Motoko concurred. A pair of poker chips rolled to the center of the table and rattled to a stop.

"I'm in," Kitsune announced.

"I'll raise." The blonde gazed across the table to see Naru staring intently into her face. She had been like that all night; glaring daggers between Kitsune and an understandably befuddled Keitaro. As far as he was concerned, he had done nothing to deserve this unpleasant attention. Of course, Kitsune knew better.

"What's that… ten? Okay… I'll see your ten and raise you five."

"I'll re-raise," Naru pronounced. Another set of chips clattered across the tabletop. Kitsune paused. This seemed highly unusual for Naru. Unlike herself, Kitsune's friend had always been one to "play it safe," even in games that required an element risk. The way she saw it, either Naru had a considerable hand or she was attempting to buy her way out. It was then that Kitsune spotted something in the redhead's eyes; a strange fire burning rightly in the back of her head. Kitsune's lips parted in a clever smile. Now, she understood. This had nothing to do with cards at all… This was, as she put it, a "pissing contest."

"I'll raise another ten…"

"I'll re-raise five more…!" The table went silent. All eyes shifted between the two remaining players.

"Z'at so?" Kitsune murmured. "Hey Keitaro, how would ya like a night off?"

"W-wha-?!"

"Hey, what are you trying to pull, Kitsune?" Naru growled.

"I've got a proposition for ya: How about we raise the stakes on this game a little?"

"I'm listening…"

"The winner takes everything in the pot, and gets to take Keitaro here out to dinner on Thursday night... Meanwhile, the loser stays home and does of the landlord's cleaning for that night."

"Kitsune-san…!" Shinobu and Motoko exchanged glances while Keitaro looked on in quiet desperation. Had he missed something? Since when was this poker game about him?

At the other end of the table, Naru sat chewing her lip in quiet ambivalence. The logical part of her insisted that Kitsune was a much better gambler and it was best to back down, now and cut her losses. But, the proud, hot-headed part of her urged her on. 'Go ahead, take the bet,' it said. 'Don't let her push you around, like that! You can win!'

'Don't do it, Naru-sempai,' Motoko contested inwardly.

"Fine," Naru huffed. "Let's do it!"

"Let's see what you've got…"

"Full house: aces over tens!" Naru slapped her cards down on the table, face-up for all to see.

"Wow, Naru-sempai!" Shinobu exclaimed. "You're amazing!"

"Wow… Yeah, I guess she is…" Kitsune frowned. "But, not amazing enough." A sudden flush of white drained the colorful smile from Naru's face. No. No, it wasn't possible. There was just no way. She watched in horror as Kitsune placed four kings and a queen on the table in front of her.

"Cowboys… Four of 'em."

"Wha-?! B-but I-!" Naru struggled to speak, but her mouth couldn't find the words. She had lost, completely lost. Keitaro's lips parted as if to say something, but before he could utter a sound, Naru bolted from her chair and rushed out of the living room.

"Narusegawa!" he called after her.

"Naru-sempai?!"

"My, my," Kitsune sighed. "That could've gone better…"

**Author's Note:** This chapter is considerably longer than the others (I didn't think it would be this bulky, but, oh well) but I hope you enjoy, regardless. By the way, I got a few reviews that sent up a yellow flag, so I figured I'd better address this now, rather than later: this is not a "Naru-bashing" fanfiction. Sorry, but bashing characters has never been my thing. I find it more effective (and constructive) to focus on a budding romance rather than turning on a character I'm not fond of. This doesn't mean that I'll do Naru any favors, mind you. Well, now that that's out of the way, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it for you. Leave some comments on my board and I'll do my best to deliver.


	4. Episode 04: Motown Never Sounded So Good

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Love Hina…

"Kitsune-san? Are you ready, Kitsune-san?"

"Almost," she called from the upstairs hallway. Keitaro glanced nervously up at the hanging clock then back at the stairs. As it stood, they had approximately fifteen minutes to get across town and claim their dinner reservation at 'Senbonzaukura Teishoku-ya'. Leave it to Kitsune to suggest eating at the most popular restaurant in town on a Thursday night; and leave it to Keitaro to get suckered into it.

"Oh man," Keitaro sighed, "if she takes much longer, we're going to lose our reservations…"

"Don't worry, Sempai," Shinobu reassured him, "I'm sure she'll be down, soon." Keitaro couldn't help but crack a soft smile. He liked Shinobu. No matter what happened, she always did her best to make those around her comfortable, even at the expense of her own comfort.

"You're probably right," he agreed. Out of the corner of his eye, Keitaro spotted a scowling Naru poking her head out from the kitchen doorway. He shuddered. She had been like this for the better part of the day. It had almost become a routine; every ten minutes she'd stop what she was doing to drag her soggy mop to the entryway and glare hatefully at the uneasy landlord before returning to the kitchen to resume her chores. 'Why me?' he sobbed, inwardly.

"She's ready!" Su cried, bounding down the stairs. "She's ready, she's ready, she's ready!" Keitaro sprung from the sofa just in time to catch Su around his neck. The momentum of her slender body sent him reeling back onto the cushions.

"My, my," Kitsune chuckled from the stairs. "I see you're as energetic as always, Keitaro." Keitaro squinted through the tangled mass of limbs that pinned him to the sofa and nearly felt his heart skip a beat.

Time seemed to slow to a near stop as Kitsune stepped out onto the living room floor. She practically lit up the room in her spaghetti-strap evening dress, each curve and dip accentuated under the fiery-red fabric. The ceiling light glistened off of the sequin pattern that covered the front. A sheer red scarf and a pair high-heels complete the ensemble in a manner that could only be described as… perfect.

"Are ya just gonna stare like that all night?" Kitsune chuckled, observing Keitaro's slack-jaw expression. Quickly, the landlord snapped out of his stupor and, blushing, wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth.

"S-sorry," he stammered, "it's just that… Wow…!"

"You like?"

"Of course, but…" Keitaro examined his plain white dress shirt and black slacks. "I… uh… feel a little under-dressed…"

"No, you're fine… Oh geez! We'd better get goin'!" Before he could agree, Kitsune snatched Keitaro up by the arm and hauled him to the door. "Hey guys, we're leaving! Don't wait up!" No sooner had the door slammed shut, Haruka and Motoko joined Shinobu and Su in the living room.

"Oh, so they left already, did they?" Haruka noted aloud.

"Regrettable," Motoko sighed. "I would have liked to have seen them off."

"I don't see what the big deal is anyway," Naru griped from the kitchen doorway. The group turned, curiously, to meet her gaze. "I'll bet you he screws this up before they even get to the restaurant, the big idiot…!"

"Judging from your position, I don't think you should be wagering on anything, Naru," Haruka quipped with a soft smile. A hot blush scorched the red-head's face.

"Very funny!" she growled. With that, she turned away and stormed back into the kitchen, rattling the cupboards and cabinets with each step. Behind her, the remaining residents tried their best to stifle their laughter.

XXX

"I can't believe we lost our reservations!" Keitaro howled. "What difference does two minutes make, anyway?!" Throwing his arms in the air, the ruffled landlord dropped onto the sidewalk bench overlooking the crowded 'Senbonzaukura Teishoku-ya.' He was physically (and emotionally) exhausted.

"My bad, my bad," Kitsune grinned, nervously rubbing the back of her head. "I guess I did hold ya up for a while…"

"No, no," he sighed, "it's not your fault. I should've called ahead and told them we'd be late… Great. Now what are we going to do?"

"How about that place?" Keitaro adjusted his glasses and looked up to see Kitsune pointing at a nearby pub.

"There? But that's… Are you sure?"

"Why not?" she shrugged. "No point in wasting the evening away, right?" Keitaro eyed the building warily. Why did she want to go there of all places?

"Well, okay, then," he sighed. The two briskly made their way across the street and onto the opposite sidewalk in front of the pub. Keitaro, being the gentleman he was, held the door for his date, receiving a smile of gratitude. As they casually entered the bar, Keitaro took a moment to examine his new surroundings. The interior was dimly lit, and what little illumination the red hanging lamps provided was heavily filtered through a canopy of smoke. A glowing jukebox warbled an old love song from the corner adjacent to the bar counter. Kitsune greeted a table of rough-looking older men, each one more than twice Keitaro's size, covered in muscles and scars. They sat shoulder-to-shoulder, huddled around a stack of cards and a few rolls of poker chips.

'Man this place is seedy on a whole new level…!' he thought. 'Why would Kitsune-san even come here? And how does she know these goons?!'

"Hey, Keitaro, I want ya to meet some friends of mine." Keitaro followed her hand with his eyes as she went around the table, naming off each brute. "This is Matsushita… He owns the bar. That's Ohba, This is Tanemura, and that one over there is Miwa."

"H-hi," Keitaro squeaked.

"So, you found yourself a new jerk, eh, Konno-chan?" Matsushita grunted before polish off his beer. "I swear I just don't understand you…"

"Hey now, Keitaro here's a nice guy, really…! You worry too much…" The burly man looked the scrawny landlord over for a moment then frowned, coarsely.

"Yeah, whatever. I've seen 'em all before… You just come lemme know when he screws up, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," Kitsune sighed. Bracing herself against the table, the young blonde leaned over and placed a gentle kiss atop the man's bald head. "I'm gonna go back to my date. You boys take care, okay?" A cloud of compliant grunts rose from the table.

"Help yourself to anything ya like," he called after her.

"Wow…" Keitaro shuddered, once they were out of earshot. "Uh… Nice bunch, there…"

"Aw, they're harmless," she grinned. "Matsushita's been looking out for me ever since I can remember. He's a great guy… Been like a daddy to me…"

"I see…"

"Don't worry. He may look a little rough, but he means well."

"It must be nice having someone to look out for you…" Kitsune looked as though she were about to say something, but decided it was better to keep her thoughts to herself.

"So," she lilted, slipping back behind the counter. "What can I get ya, 'Mr. Toudai'?"

"Hey, you're not going to bring that up again, are you? I told you guys it wasn't my fault… You were the ones assuming things…!" Keitaro looked up to catch that all-too-familiar Cheshire grin creeping across her face and instantly realized he had been the butt of yet another joke. "Oh, funny."

"Well… What'll it be?"

"Umm… I-I'm not sure," he blushed.

"Well, we've got grilled salmon over fried rice… That's actually pretty popular."

"Oh, alright… That sounds good."

"Alrighty, then." Kitsune slid her purse from her arm and tossed it down onto the counter. Her left hand flew to the burner knobs while her right and reached up to retrieve a low-hanging wok from the overhead rack.

"W-wait, are you going to cook, Kitsune-san?"

"Ya got a problem with me cooking?"

"Well, n-no, but… It's just that I've never known you to spend much time in the kitchen… That's all."

"Well, I'm no Shinobu, but I can hold my own in front of a stove, Keitaro."

"Oh, right! S-sorry!" Kitsune stifled a light chuckle and turned back to her cooking. She was surprisingly proficient, Keitaro noted as he watched her work, maybe even more-so than himself. She moved back and forth behind the counter, adjusting temperatures and adding spices. Every-so-often she would pause to chew her lip, thoughtfully when she'd overlooked something. Then, as quickly as she'd forgotten, her face would suddenly light up with recollection and she would resume her busy rhythm.

Keitaro watched her back as he sipped quietly at the beer she'd place in front of him. To be perfectly honest, this was the first time a girl had ever cooked exclusively for him. He was genuinely pleased with the situation. The smell of sizzling fish… The sounds of popping grease… Between the food and Kitsune, it was a challenge just to hold back his urge to drool.

"There ya go," Kitsune said, sliding a plate over the counter. Keitaro leaned over the food, relishing the rising steam as it billowed up to meet his cheeks.

"Wow, this smells great!"

"Told ya," she grinned with a wink. After fixing herself a plate, she slid into the stool beside him and began eating. Keitaro studied her closely as she lifted the chopsticks to her mouth, watched the way her lips moved when she chewed. Her lips… They looked so tender and moist. They were the ideal shape and size; not too thick, not too thin… As the warm of a growing blush blazed his cheeks, Keitaro realized that he had never wanted to kiss someone so badly.

'Gah! What am I doing?!' he screamed inwardly. 'I can't believe I'm thinking that kind of stuff about Kitsune!' But as hard as he tried, he couldn't shake her lips from his thoughts.

"You okay, Keitaro?" Kitsune asked, one eyebrow arching with concern.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine!" he laughed. "Just fine! I wasn't thinking anything! Nothing at all!"

"Nothing?" she prodded with a grin.

"N-nothing!"

"You sure it wasn't… something?"

"I'm sure! It was nothing!"

"Oh… How boring." Keitaro's shoulders slumped in a sigh of relief. He was safe… for now. "So, ya like the food?"

"Yes, it's delicious! I had no idea you could cook like this. You're full of surprises…"

"Am I, now?"

"W-well," Keitaro flushed, "I mean, there's that book you've been working on and your cooking… You know a lot about architecture and law… It's like… Nevermind. It's silly…"

"Aw, c'mon…"

"I dunno… It's like there's an infinite number of sides to you… It's pretty… amazing…" Kitsune's grin fell away, replaced by a faint blush. "S-sorry!" he blurted. "I shouldn't have said anything! Forget I even mentioned it!"

"R-right," she agreed, "so, anyway…" As the night wore on, the pair passed the time with beer and conversation. Nothing deep, really. Every once in a while Kitsune would insert a teasing innuendo, earning a few stammers and a blush from Keitaro's end. But, despite her suggestive banter, he had to admit he was enjoying the attention. As he sat there, exchanging words and glances, he couldn't help but feel a pleasantly surreal tonality to it all.

'I really like this,' he thought to himself. 'I wonder if things could always be this way…?'

XXX

"Hey, Konno-chan," Matsushita called from the other end of the shop, "I'm gonna head out. Lock up whenever ya decide to leave, okay?"

"Gotcha," Kitsune waved. With that, the burly owner departed, leaving the two alone beneath the crimson glow of the bar lamps. Keitaro slumped over the counter, resting his head beside his empty beer mug. He was drunk, pure and simple. It was practically a certainty when he was drinking with Kitsune; one drink always led to two more, then four more, until at long last he found himself staring vacantly at the wall of a spinning room. It was as if the slightest movement would send him reeling off the ground and into oblivion. Oddly enough, he found that if he closed one eye, his vision improved, significantly.

"I… I think I overdid it, Kitsune-san," he murmured into the cool surface of the bar counter. Kitsune chuckled lightly at him over the rim of her glass, but said nothing. It was clear from the misty look in her eyes that she too was beginning to feel the alcohol's effects. "What time is it?" Kitsune craned her neck and cast a lingering glance at the digital clock perched atop the liquor cabinet.

"Umm… A quarter 'til two."

"Oh, man," he groaned, "we should probably start heading back…"

"You're probably right… Lemme just clean up real quick." In spite of his diminished coordination, Keitaro managed to slide safely from his bar stool and help her clear the remaining plates and glasses from the countertop. After everything was more-or-less in order, Kitsune turned out the last set of lights and ushered him out onto sidewalk, locking the door behind them. They stumbled a few blocks before finally catching a late-night streetcar to take them back to the inn. The ride was surprisingly quiet, due in large part to the fact that they were the only two people on the entire cart. Every-so-often, Keitaro would glance down to see Kitsune staring fixedly at the city lights form behind the trolley window. At last, they reached their stop, and with a considerable difficulty, stumbled out of the streetcar and climbed the steps of Hinata Inn. As they slowly made their way up the seemingly endless flight of steps, Keitaro suddenly realized how exceptionally beautiful Kitsune looked, tonight. The way the pale moon bathed her smooth skin and hair in a silvery glow nearly took his breath away. Had she always looked so good?

"Well," she sighed, stopping just short of the dormitory door, "I guess this is goodnight, huh?"

"Y-yeah, I guess so…" he nodded. "By the way, thanks for… you know… everything. I had a lot of fun…"

"Yeah, me too."

"You know, if you ever want to-?" Before he could finish, Kitsune closed the distance between them and gently pressed her lips into his. The landlord's initial instinct was to pull back, but for some unknown reason, he couldn't move. The warm, tender feeling of her lips, the smooth motions of her tongue as it moved alongside his; it was as if her touch was holding him in place. He couldn't move. He could barely think. The mental gears of clarity and reason quickly gave way to the mix of hormones and alcohol that flooded his bloodstream. 'What's going on?!' his "inner Keitaro" screamed. 'Is this a dream?! This has to be a dream! There's no way this is happening! It's too amazing!' Suddenly, she stopped.

"Oops," she chuckled, nervously. "I guess I shouldn't have done that…" Even though her alcohol-induced haze, she could clearly make out his speechless expression in the moonlight.

"N-no," he managed. "I… liked it…"

"Oh…? Well, in that case…" She kissed him again, bolder this time. Reluctantly, he returned the embrace, until, at last she withdrew to stare mistily up at him. "Listen... Do you wanna come up to my room?"

"Y-your room?"

"Don't worry. It's okay…"

"A-are you sure?" She nodded. "A-alright…" Kitsune's lips turned up in a gentle smile. Taking him firmly by the hand, she turned and led Keitaro into the shadows of the darkened house.

**Author's Note:** I'll be perfectly honest with you: I'm not completely happy with this ending paragraph, but I figured I've stalled long enough. I'll more than likely come back and revise it when I've figured out exactly how I want it to sound. I dunno… Let me know what you think.


	5. Episode 05: Just No Good

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Love Hina…

Golden sunlight in filtered through Keitaro's bedroom window, warming the futon beneath him. 'The sun,' he thought. 'Is it morning already?' Slowly, he lifted himself into a sitting position, his lower half tangled in the mass of downy bedsheets.

"Ugh," he moaned, running and hand through his disheveled hair. "My head feels… fuzzy…" Leaning over the side of the futon, Keitaro reached out and began groping along the floor for his glass.

"Left," a familiar voice instructed.

"Oh, thank you," Keitaro smiled.

"Mhmm." Keitaro donned his spectacles, turned to the voice and froze. Every cell in his body came to a screeching halt.

"Morning, stud," Kitsune lilted with a grin. She stood leaning against the doorway, clasping a steaming mug in her hands.

"K-K-KITSUNE-SAN?!" he sputtered. "What are you doing here?!"

"Uh, I hate to break it to ya, but this is MY room…" Keitaro adjusted his glasses and examined his surrounds. Dozens of shelves lined with assorted bottles, dark-wood furniture, a typewriter… No, this definitely wasn't his room.

"But, how did I…? W-When did…? Did we-?!"

"Yup." Keitaro's face went blank. 'No,' he thought. 'I must not have heard her correctly… Better ask again.'

"So we-?"

"Yup."

"I-?"

"That's right."

"And you-?"

"Uh huh."

"I see…" Keitaro nodded. His lips curved in a smile of contentment. That wasn't so bad. Now that he had the story straight he could…

'CRAP!' he screamed, inwardly. 'What have I done?! What have I done! What was I thinking?! This is bad; this is very bad! What if the others find out?! They'll kill me, no questions asked! No trial, just an execution!' In is mind's eye, Keitaro saw Naru and Motoko standing on either side of a crucifix amidst a sea of flames. 'I'm so DEAD!!!' Meanwhile, Kitsune stared evenly at him over her cup, watching his face contort with anxiety. But, as much fun as it was to watch him squirm, even she had to admit it had an air of cruelty to it.

"Calm down, Keitaro," she sighed at last. "I took care of everything…"

"…Took… care…?" he echoed, quizzically.

"That's right, so stop worrying and get dressed… Breakfast will be ready, soon."

XXX

After sneaking in a quick shower and getting dressed, Keitaro made his way down to the dining room table. Despite Kitsune's reassuring words, he couldn't help but feel a little… dirty. Had he done something wrong? Was there really a reason to feel guilty? Quickly, he pushed the troublesome worries from his mind and slid into his chair at the end of the table. Shinobu stepped out of the kitchen balancing a pair of serving dishes on each hand and placed them at the center of the table.

"Good morning, sempai," she greeted him with a smile. Her warm, friendly tone soothed his uneasiness a bit, forcing a smile to his own lips.

"Good morning, Shinobu-chan. Do you need any help?"

"Oh, n-no thank you," she blushed, "I'm fine." Within a few minutes, the rest of the tenants joined them in the dining room, exchanging cheerful greetings as they gradually found their seats. Once everyone was settled in, Shinobu began serving the first few helpings of steamed rice. Keitaro let out a quiet sigh of relief. Perhaps there wasn't anything to worry about, after all.

"So, Kitsune," Naru began. Keitaro's form went rigid. "You and Keitaro got in awfully late last night…"

"Did we, now?" Kitsune asked, arching a brow.

"Yeah… As a matter of fact, I don't remember hearing Keitaro coming back to his room all night, or the next morning for that matter… Care to explain?" The other tenants looked up from their plates with masked curiosity.

"Well," Kitsune replied, "I guess that's because he stayed in my room last night." Keitaro froze.

"You'd better have a good explanation for this one, Keitaro," Naru demanded.

"There's nothing to explain," she shrugged. "We had sex." Every jaw in the room fell to the floor with a resounding 'THUD.'

"Y-you did what?!"

"Had sex… You know; intercourse, made love, bumped uglies, the horizontal ramba…" Keitaro flinched with every euphemism. 'Oh god, no! This can't be happening; it just can't be happening!'

WHA-?! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!" Naru shrieked.

"Wait, wait," Kitsune said, waving her hands defensively in front of her. "I know what you're all thinking but take it from me, Keitaro here is no slouch…"

"WHAT?!"

"Yup," she grinned. "You wouldn't believe it by looking at him, but yeah… I mean, the way he moved… Rocking back and forth and back and forth …" Motoko gagged on a lump of rice and broke into an unrestrained coughing fit. "The way he used his hands… Every little touch was so gentle and caring, but at the same time strong and firm… like a man in NEED…! I had to bite into the pillow to keep from screaming…! He just kept going and going... Pulse racing… Heart pounding… Sweat beading off of his skin, those toned arms and abs…!" Kitsune slammed her palms down on the table, rattling the dishes and silverware. "Oh Kei-kun!" she panted, orgasmically. "Kei-kun! Oh, Kei-kun! OH MY GOD, KEI-KUN!"

The rest of the breakfast table stared on in silence, awe-stricken. Keitaro sat lifelessly in his seat, his features contorted in an expression of shock, horror and despair, little more than a clay shell.

After catching her breath, Kitsune sat upright, fanning herself with her hands. "Whew…! I get the vapors just thinkin' about it!"

'I'm dead,' he thought, resignedly. 'So dead. Dead.'

"Sempai, how could you?" Shinobu cried.

"Urashima, you BASTARD!"

"Keitaro, this time you've gone too far!" Su's head poked up over Motoko's shoulder, glancing curiously around the table.

"What's a 'Kei-kun'?"

XXX

With the last of his strength, Keitaro collapsed to his knees on the stone steps of the Hinata Inn. His shirt and trousers hung about him in tatters, revealing his bruise-ridden torso. After Kitsune's little "story," Motoko and Naru cornered the young landlord in the hallway and dispatched him with a combination "Split Rock Maneuver-Iron Punch." The force of the blow was so incredible that when he finally regained consciousness, Keitaro found himself smoldering at the bottom of a creator nearly five miles from the dormitory.

"I… I can't believe… I'm alive," he croaked. "I thought I was a goner, for sure!"

"Well, well… Look what the cat drug in." Keitaro lifted his head to see Kitsune grinning amusedly down at him.

"K-Kitsune-san…?" Suddenly, his face lit up with anger. "Hey, thanks a lot for throwing me to the wolves, back there! As if I don't take enough beatings, already!"

"My bad, my bad," she chuckled. "But ya have to admit, it was a pretty good story, right?"

"NO!"

"Aww… Are ya mad at me?"

"Why shouldn't I be?! Thanks to you, I ended up five miles away in someone's rice field! Why did you have to say all that stuff, anyway?! I thought you said you would take care of it!"

"Oh, I didn't know it was supposed to be a secret…"

"That's not what I mean!" Keitaro hoisted himself to his feet and glanced thoughtfully off to the side. "I don't even remember what happened last night…"

"Z'at so? Well, you were pretty drunk…"

"Wait a second…! How do I know this isn't just another one of your pranks?! If it is, I'm not falling for it this time!"

"Aww, that hurt, Kei-kun," Kitsune replied, teasingly. "Ya really think I'd make up something like that?"

"Well… Maybe," he muttered cynically. "I mean, without proof, how-?"

"You curve to the left."

"Huh?" Keitaro followed her gaze to the crotch of his pants and flushed white. 'Crap,' he thought, 'How drunk was I, last night?!'

"Well, c'mon inside and let's get ya patched up…"

XXX

"Are you sure it's okay for me to be in here?" Keitaro asked, eyes fixed nervously on the bedroom door.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Kitsune replied.

"Well… You know… After what happened last night..."

"Ah! Found it!" Keitaro watched curiously as Kitsune produced a large plastic case from the bottom of her wooden trunk. The white lid was tinged gray with the blanket of dust that coated the outside. "Never thought I'd actually need this thing…" After replacing the other items she'd removed from the trunk, Kitsune plopped down beside Keitaro and placed the case on the coffee table.

"Okay, let's lose the shirt," she instructed. Before he could even manage a protest, she reached over and began unbuttoning what remained of his shirt.

"Eh?!"

"Aw, what's the matter?" she grinned. "Big boy can't do his own buttons? Too hard?" After a bit of a struggle, she finally managed to remove his shirt. As she pulled back the tattered fabric, Kitsune caught a glimpse of the battered flesh beneath. Long, dark bruises lined the length of his torso, coupled with tiny scrapes running along the sides of his arms. "Oh, wow," she murmured, biting back a twinge of uneasiness. 'This is pretty bad… I knew he'd taken a beating, but this is a little extreme… I'm surprised he could even stand after something like this, let alone walk all the way back to the inn…'

"Kitsune-san…? Is something wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, no! It's nothing!" Kitsune popped the lid to the plastic case and removed a brown glass bottle and few cotton swabs. "Well, you've got a couple of bruised ribs, but I don't think anything's broken…"

"Oh… That's a relief…" His voice trailed off, lost to the cool, gentle sensation as she lightly dabbed at his wounds. She was surprisingly tender with him, he noted. There was something deeply satisfying about being taken care of. The most Naru had ever done was toss him a box of band-aids, not that he was complaining. Even so, he found her concern somewhat perplexing? Why was she helping him? Did she feel guilty?

"Okay… I'm gonna bandage this up, so ya gotta be still, alright?" Keitaro blushed and gave an obedient nod. Kitsune reached back into the first-aid kit and took out a roll of bandages.

"I didn't know you knew first-aid," he whispered, "you're pretty versatile…"

"Thanks," she grinned. "I took a few night classes at the rec-center, last year."

"Wow… really?"

"Yup… Before you showed, there was never anything to do around here... Gotta find some kinda way to pass the time, right?" She gently took his hand and placed it over the end of the bandage roll, pinning the tip against his ribs, then began wrapping the dressing around his torso.

"Well, I guess," he chuckled. "But, I'm glad you took those classes; if you didn't, there'd be no one here to patch me up! Heh heh!"

"And just what are you laughing about?" All eyes moved to the figure standing in the doorway.

"Oh, hiya Naru."

"N-Narusegawa?!" Keitaro stammered. "W-what are you doing here?!"

"I could ask you the same question," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Whatever it is, I doubt it's good!" Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of the blackened flesh poking up from behind the tourniquet. "Oh my god, what happened to you?!"

"I'll give you one guess," Kitsune replied.

"I FELL!" The room went silent.

"You fell? Naru prodded. "Fell from where?"

"Well," Keitaro began, "I was hanging out some extra laundry this morning and lost my footing! Kitsune-san was nice enough to offer to patch me up! It's nothing, really! Heh heh…!"

"You fell off the roof? Geez, Keitaro! Can't you be more careful?! If you keep this up, you're not going to live to see thirty!"

"S-sorry…"

"Sorry for what? What do you have to be sorry about? Idiot, stop apologizing!" With that, Naru made an about face and disappeared into the hall.

"Smooth move there, stud," Kitsune sighed.

"Man… Everytime I think I'm starting to understand her…"

"Why didn't you tell her the truth about how you got so banged up?"

"Well… I guess… If I told her the truth, she'd feel bad, you know? With the entrance exams coming up and everything else that's been going on, I don't want to give her reason to worry about me, too…" He paused. "Does that sound stupid?" Kitsune leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips.

"Yeah," she whispered, "but it's still kinda sweet…"

XXX

05/17

6:34 P.M.

Dear Diary,

Guess what? I HAD SEX WITH A GIRL!!! (A least I think I did…) I don't really remember the details… Actually, I don't remember anything at all, but things have definitely been looking up for me lately! Kitsune-san has been really nice to me. I don't know why, but suddenly I feel very close to her… There are sides to her that I doubt people normally see… She's smart, and funny, she knows all kinds of things… She's a good cook and she knows first-aid! Today, Kitsune-san bandaged me up (after Narusegawa and Motoko-chan knocked me into next Friday!) I guess it was a little dishonest to let her make such a fuss over it, especially when it didn't hurt that badly, but it felt good being taken care of for once. Her hands were so soft and gentle; and the way her lips felt when we kissed…! Wait… I wonder… Does this mean that we're… a "couple," now? WOW!!! I can't believe how much my luck has changed! Things are really turning around for me! At this rate, I'm positive I'll be able to get into Tokyo University, no doubt!

XXX

Later that night, Kitsune headed down to the kitchen to fix herself a snack. Though dinner had been served less than three hours ago, there was a chocolate craving in the pit of her stomach that refused to be ignored. As she reached the bottom step, Kitsune noticed the glow of the kitchen light spilling out onto the hallway floor. 'Who could be in there at this hour?' she wondered.

"Shinobu-chan?" The raven-haired junior-high student glanced up from her tea kettle.

"O-oh, Kitsune-san! Y-you're awake, too?!"

"Don't mind me. I'm just gonna grab myself a snack." Kitsune made her way to the refrigerator and helped herself to a slice of the chocolate cake Haruka had brought home the other night. "Say, you're up kinda late, aren't ya? Don't you have school tomorrow?"

"I couldn't sleep," she admitted, bashfully, "so I thought I'd make some tea…"

"Oh, okay. Mind if I sit?"

"Oh, of course not!" Kitsune smiled and slid into the adjacent seat. "I dunno why, but I've been cravin' chocolate all day… You know, they say it's better than sex…!"

"I-I wouldn't know," she replied with a blush. A cloud of silence passed over the kitchen. Finally, Shinobu lifted her gaze from the glossy surface of the kitchen table. "K-Kitsune-san…?"

"Hm?"

"Do… Do you love… Sempai?" Kitsune nearly choked on the morsel of cake in her mouth.

"W-what?! Where'd you get an idea like that?!"

"I-I'm sorry…! I shouldn't have asked! It was a stupid question! I'm sorry!" Kitsune's forehead wrinkled in a pensive frown. This was a bit of a pickle.

"Umm… Well, how can I put this…? Keitaro's a good guy… He's sweet and gentle and thoughtful… The type of guy that would give you the shirt right off his back, you know?" Shinobu nodded. "But, as far as love goes…" Her voice trailed off as if trying to recall a prepared response.

"Please take good care of Urashima-sempai…"

"Hm?"

"He deserves to be happy. I-I know he's clumsy and a little careless at times, but I suppose that's what I like about him…! He's… very important to me, so please be nice to him… You'll do that, won't you?"

"Uh… Yeah, of course," Kitsune chuckled.

"Thank you!" Shinobu beamed. "I knew I could trust you, Kitsune-san!" A moment later, the toot of the kettle announced the tea's completion. Shinobu served herself two cups before heading up to bed, leaving Kitsune to mull over the middle-schooler's words.

"Well," she sighed, "I guess that settles it; I'm goin' to Hell in a hand-basket…"

**Author's Note:** Again, I'm sorry for the delay. I'm usually more timely with my updates, but it's been a crazy month. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and feel free to review.


	6. Episode 06: No Need for Keitaro

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Love Hina…

Keitaro gazed anxiously up at his tutor. He had been working on rudimentary algebra for the last week, but to no avail. Hour after hour, night after night. The numbers and letters were all starting to look the same. At times it seemed completely hopeless.

"81," Kitsune murmured from behind the battered exam packet.

"Huh?"

"You scored an 81… Keitaro, ya passed…!"

"I...? I passed?! I passed!" Keitaro bound from the kitchen table and broke into a festive victory dance in front of the counter. The vibrations of his pounding feet rattled the hanging cupboards and the dishes in the draining board. "I passed! I passed! Woohoo! Call Tokyo-U and tell 'em there's a new freshman on the way!" Kitsune watched amusedly from her seat, her cool façade hiding her own elation.

She had been working with Keitaro every step of the way, ever since Naru ended their tutoring sessions. Though she claimed she simply didn't have time for a "hopeless idiot" like Keitaro, Kitsune wasn't fooled in the least. It didn't take a brain surgeon to realize that Naru was considerably miffed over Kitsune and Keitaro's budding relationship. Unfortunately, Keitaro lacked the vigilance of his tenants and therefore remained clueless as to why he'd become the target of the redhead's hostility. Though she pitied the poor landlord, Kitsune decided that telling him the truth would more than likely cause more damage than good. She understood Keitaro's train of thought well enough to know that such a revelation would send the poor rounin into a spiral of guilt and despair; something she was not sure she could deal with. Suddenly, Keitaro's dance ground to a halt.

"Kitsune-san?" he murmured, solemnly.

"Hm?"

"T-thank you for your help…"

"Don't worry about it. It was nothi-"

"No, really!" The young landlord spun around to face her, his eyes welling up with tears of joy. His jaw trembled with a strange resolve and determination. It was almost unsettling. "You didn't have to take me on as your student, but you did, and because of you, I finally feel prepared for the entrance exams! Thank you, Kitsune-san!"

"Whoa, whoa Champ," she chuckled. "Don't go countin' those chickens just yet. Knowing the stuff is only half the battle."

"Uh, K-Kitsune-san? I was wondering… How DO you know so much about this stuff? Did you take the exams too?"

"N-no, no, nothing like that," she chirped, nervously. "But enough about exams… Why don't we round everyone up and celebrate? Sound good?"

"O-oh! Right, okay!"

XXX

"Wow, I'm so proud of you, Sempai!" Shinobu exclaimed, placing a fresh tray of refreshments at the center of the table. Su reeled back and slapped the landlord savagely on the back.

"Yay, Keitaro!"

"I propose a toast to Urashima!" Motoko announced, shoving her glass in the air.

"Another one, Motoko-sempai?" Shinobu replied, tentatively. "That makes six tonight…" After nearly an hour of prodding, Kitsune managed to convince the kendo girl to engage her in a drinking competition. Much to everyone's surprise, she revealed herself to be a lightweight in the truest sense, losing all sense of herself after only three drinks.

"Thanks, everyone," he said, abashedly. He wasn't used to this much positive attention. The house scrambled like mad to set up for the event; Aunt Haruka had even closed the shop early to help with the preparations. Everyone was in such high spirits, everyone but Naru, that is. The young redhead spent most of the evening at the far end of the table, casting evil glares at the rounin between drinks. Even-so, Keitaro did his best to ignore the hostility and focus on enjoying himself.

"Keep up the good work, Keitaro!"

"We're counting on you…!"

"Yup, looks like I'll land a law student afterall," Kitsune grinned.

"What are you all so happy about?" Naru sniped from the corner. The entire room ground to a halt. The redhead took another swig of her beer and slammed the can down on the floor beside her. It was evident from the flushed tone of her face that Naru had probably surpassed her "safety limit."

"N-Naru-sempai-!"

"I mean, really; it wasn't even a practice exam… Anyone can get a halfway decent score on an old sample test… Gimme a break!"

"I thought you'd be happy," Keitaro murmured.

"Happy? 'Happy' that after three years of failure you finally did something right for a change?! Why would I be happy?!"

"Um, m-maybe we should just eat," Shinobu interjected.

"No, Shinobu! He needs to hear this and since none of you have the guts to tell him, I will!"

"Naru!"

"It doesn't matter how many exam packets you do, someone like you doesn't stand a chance of getting into Tokyo U… I didn't get in and I was tops in the nation! What would even make you think that a loser like you could?" The whole room went silent. All eyes shifted from the fuming redhead to Keitaro. The tension was almost corporeal. Suddenly, the landlord broke into a fit of laughter.

"Hah hah hah hah! You're right, Narusegawa! What was I thinking? There's no way a guy like me could make it into Tokyo U! Hah hah hah!" The other tenants looked on in quiet apprehension as Keitaro's laughter grew. Despite his overt grin, there was something disconcerting about his tone. The fevered pitch of his laughter sounded uneven, as if it could fall apart at a moment's notice. That's when Kitsune saw it; a single tear trailing down the rounin's right cheek. The realization sent a pang of remorse through her. Why did she suddenly feel so guilty?

"Hey, Keitaro, are you-?"

"Sorry!" he blurted. "I forgot something upstairs! Hah hah hah! I'm so hopeless!" With that, the rounin jumped to his feet and rushed up the wooden flight of stairs, stumbling all the way. The heavy footsteps echoed throughout the hall, followed by the hiss of a shoji door. The remaining tenants exchanged glances.

"I doubt he'll come back down, tonight," Haruka stated. "I guess the party's over."

"Indeed," Motoko nodded, grimly. The recent display was enough to counteract the alcohol, leaving her somewhere between "buzzed" and "sober."

"Motoko, don't tell me YOU feel sorry for him, too?!" Naru snapped.

"I… I think I will retire for the night," she replied. The kendo girl stared tentatively at the floor as she gathered her belongings and quietly made her way toward the staircase. The redhead's gaze shifted to Shinobu.

"I-I should start cleaning up… Su, will you help me put the food away?" Her schoolmate nodded and the girls began clearing off the table it quiet solemnity.

"Whatever," Naru huffed. She hadn't done anything wrong; she'd simply stated the truth. There was nothing in her account that didn't ring true, even if she had been a little harsh. Keitaro would bounce back; he always did.

"Hey, Naru," Kitsune whispered.

"What?"

"Can I talk to you outside? Just for a sec?"

XXX

Keitaro rolled over on his futon and glanced at the bedside clock. It was almost eleven.

"What a night," he muttered. His face still felt stiff from the dry salt trails that covered his cheeks. "I can't believe I cried like that… I'm so ashamed…!" Why had her words upset him so much? It wasn't like he hadn't heard that rant before; it was practically an everyday thing. Maybe the alcohol had made him a little touchier than usual. Maybe it was the fact that she put him down in front of the other tenants. Or, maybe it was because he had been trying so hard, and for the first time in his life he felt that he actually stood a chance. And what made it even worse was he knew everything she said was true. Just then, he heard a knock at the door.

"Hey, Keitaro? It's Kitsune. Can I come in…?" Keitaro sat up and turned away from the door.

"Uh, y-yeah, sure!" he muddled, nervously. Kitsune gently slid the door aside and stepped quietly into the room. She spotted Keitaro seated rigidly on the other side of the table, staring fixedly at the wall. "H-hey, Kitsune-san! Uh, what's up?"

"You tell me," she replied. "How ya holdin' up?"

"Me?! Oh, I'm fine! Hah hah!" Suddenly, a pair of arms snaked their way around his torso and pulled him close. He gasped at the warm, cushiony mounds pressing into his back. In a moment of realization, the landlord's face darkened to a beet-red complexion. 'Whoa! K-Kitsune-san's breasts?!'

"Ya don't hafta lie, Keitaro." He shivered at the sensation of her breath against his earlobe.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," he chuckled. 'Dammit, don't give in! Just play it cool and she'll eventually leave!'

"I know how ya feel about Naru; hell, we all do. Ya took a big step this week and I know that more than anything, you wanted her approval. You've got every reason to be upset…"

"K-Kitsune-san…" His resolve was collapsing. Why was it that she always seemed to know exactly what to say? It was as if she was reading his mind.

"But, for what it's worth, I still believe in you…" Kitsune leaned forward and, guiding his chin with her hand, kissed him tenderly on the mouth. As their lips locked, Keitaro could have sworn he felt his heart skip a beat. He found himself secretly wishing that the moment would last forever, like this; just the two of them.

"Now," she whispered, slowly drawing back, "get some rest, 'kay?" Keitaro nodded dumbly as the sandy-haired woman stepped out into the hallway. "Goodnight, Keitaro."

"G-good night." The paper door closed behind her with a faint rustle. "…Thank you, Kitsune-san…"

XXX

The next morning started out like any other. After waking to the sound of his alarm clock, Keitaro shuffled off to the "men's bath" for an early dip and got dressed. For some reason, he felt especially cheerful today, which was strange considering the prior night's events. After neatening up his room, he headed downstairs to start his morning chores. He had almost reached the kitchen when a familiar voice brought his feet to a grinding halt.

"You're awfully cheerful, today," Naru stated, matter-of-factly. Keitaro felt his heart sink into his stomach. It was just his luck…

"G-good morning, Narusegawa," he replied, turning to face her. "I was just- OH MY GOD!" The sudden change in volume shocked them both.

"Sh-shut-up!" Naru hissed, glancing nervously about. "You'll wake the whole house!"

"S-sorry," he murmured, "it's just…! What happened to your face…?!" The rounin gazed bemusedly into the purple ring that framed Naru's left eye. The puffy, discolored flesh gleamed with oily residue of some unknown ointment. Though he knew it was wrong to stare, Keitaro could scarcely bring himself to blink.

"Q-quit staring! I fell down, that's all!"

"Are you alright? I mean, do you need any-?"

"I'm fine!" she snapped. "Anyway, it's not important." She sighed. "Look, last night…! I was just so angry and… then there was the alcohol… Not that that makes up for it, but, you know…! And anyway… Those things I said… they were mean and untrue and even if you are a hopeless oaf, I…"

"N-Narusegawa…"

"The point is I was way out of line and… I'm sorry…" Keitaro was speechless. Did Naru just… apologize? Naru never apologizes; especially to him. What should he say? What should he do? How would she react? He suddenly found himself trapped in a cloud of uneasiness. She looked so vulnerable, standing there with those sparking brown eyes and pouting lips. How could he possibly refuse her?

"Morning," Haruka muttered stepping through the doorway.

"Aunt Haruka!" Keitaro sputtered. "W-what are you doing here?! Shouldn't you be at the shop?!"

"Glad to see you too, Keitaro. Nice shiner, Naru," she added, off-handedly.

"I-I fell…!"

"I see," she replied. "Anyway, the overhead plumbing in the storage room sprung a leak, so I've been cleaning up since daybreak."

"That's awful," Keitaro sighed, sympathetically. "After I finish my chores, I can head over and help you move some-"

"Don't worry about it," she assured him. "Seta's helping, so it shouldn't take much longer."

"S-Seta-san?!" Naru exclaimed. "Seta-san is here?!"

"That's right… Is there a pr-?" Before Haruka could finish, Naru's face darkened with horror. Clutching her blackened eye, the girl tore out of the kitchen and disappeared up the stairs.

"Did I… miss something…?" Keitaro murmured, bemusedly. Haruka let out a low sigh and shook her head, piteously.

"Kids…"

XXX

Keitaro managed to finish all of his morning chores before Shinobu called everyone for breakfast. Everyone crowded around the kitchen table, eagerly eying the impressive spread. The whole household was present, save Naru who insisted she was far too "busy" to eat. Needless to say no one but Seta and Keitaro actually believed such an excuse.

"So, how's that dig going?" Haruka casually inquired. "South America, was it?"

"Oh, right!" Seta nodded, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "It's going wonderfully. The project has only just started and already we've unearthed an incredible collection of artifacts!"

"It sounds so exciting," Shinobu sighed, whimsically.

"It really does," agreed Keitaro. "But Seta-san, if you've just discovered a new dig site, is it really okay for you to be here?"

"Oh, don't worry about that," he chuckled. "You see, we had a little 'on-site accident' not long after the dig started, so we technically can't resume the excavation until the area's been cleared…"

"Accident? Was it bad?"

"Well, we lost most of our equipment under three meters of water, so…"

"Oh my goodness!"

"Was anyone hurt?!"

"Oh, no!" he smiled. Thankfully, everyone was fine!"

"That's a relief…"

"But, you know, Keitaro, we could really use a guy like you out there."

"R-really?"

"Of course!" the professor beamed. "There's always room for another set of gifted hands and the job pays double what you earn working for me at the university."

"Double?! Wow!"

"That's right! You should seriously consider the offer."

"Well," Keitaro began, "It sounds great and all, and I'd be lying if I said I couldn't use the extra money, but the Tokyo-U entrance exams are coming up and for once in my life I feel like I just might have a shot…"

"Oh, well you don't have to decide right now," the professor explained. "They won't be finished cleaning up for at least another month, so you have plenty of time to think it over!"

"Oh, alright! I'll definitely consider it!"

"Glad to hear it!" As the conversation continued, Kitsune found herself drifting in and out of what was being said. It wasn't that she lacked interest; for some reason she just hadn't been feeling like herself all morning. 'What's wrong with me?' she wondered.

"So, Kitsune-chan," the unexpected address caught her completely off guard. "What have you been doing, lately?"

"Wha-?! Oh, umm… Nothing really!" she chuckled, nervously. "Just hangin' around here… Hah hah hah…!" Keitaro looked up from his food with a curious expression.

"But, Kitsune-san what about your nov-?" CRUNCH. The landlord let out a muffled cry of pain, fighting back the salty tears welling up in his eyes. Under the veil of the long tablecloth, Kitsune ground the sole of her sneaker into the top of Keitaro's.

"What was that, Keitaro?"

"Oh, nothing!" Kitsune chimed. "Right, Keitaro?"

"R-right," he squeaked. Breakfast continued without incident and once the table was cleared, everyone went their separate ways. Keitaro retired to his room hoping to use the spare time to read over his practice material, but for some reason he just couldn't seem to focus.

'I wonder why Kitsune-san stopped me back there…? Was she trying to hide the fact that she's been writing? But, why would she want to keep that a secret…? Ugh, what am I saying?! I need to concentrate on the entrance exams! I've worked too hard to start backsliding, now! Back to work!'

XXX

The rest of the day was largely uneventful save Keitaro's unfortunate run-in with a naked Motoko while cleaning the bathroom. How did he always manage to wind up in such compromising situations?

After dinner, everyone gathered on the front steps of Hinata House to see Seta off; everyone but Naru. Keitaro had gone upstairs to see how she was doing, but Naru refused to come out. After a long match of verbal tug-of-war, he convinced her to at least open the door so they could talk face-to-face.

[Flashback

"Are you crazy?!" Naru hissed, pointing to the icepack clutched over her eye. "Look at my face! Look at it! There's no way I can let him see me like this!"

"It's not that bad, is it?" Keitaro asked. A look of uneasiness passed over Naru's features. Slowly, she pulled the compress away, revealing the darkened patch around her eye. Keitaro nearly doubled-over in shock. The bruise hadn't gone down at all; in fact, it might have worsened.

"Sh-shut-up!" Naru snapped. Before Keitaro could even conceive a plausible excuse, the redhead struck him savagely over the head and slammed the door in his face. "Jerk!" she cried from behind the shoji paper. "Pervert! Idiot!"

[End Flashback

Keitaro let out a heavy sigh and climbed into the "men's bath." Though he probably could have snuck a dip in the hot spring, something told him that scenario was sure to end badly. Oddly enough, he'd grown fond of his wooden tub; it was one of the few places in the whole house that he could call his own. No one would ever come all the way out here…

"Hey, Keitaro! Whatcha up to?" The water erupted in flurry of splashes as Keitaro scrambled to cover himself.

"K-Kitsune-san?! What are you doing, here?!"

"Oh, relax," she chuckled. "It's not like I haven't seen it all before." Keitaro gaze cagily off to the side. Well, she DID have a point… "Takin' an after-dinner soak, huh?"

"Uh, that's right…"

"Here, lemme help…"

"Oh, well I… EH?!"

XXX

"That idiot," Naru huffed. "He makes so mad, sometimes…!" The redhead dropped the icepack on the table and flopped down onto the floor. "If only he didn't treat me like a stranger…" Lifting a hand to her face, Naru gave her blackened eye an experimental poke. "Ow-ow-ow!" she hissed. "Dammit, that hurts!" A flame of frustration flared up inside of her. "Dammit!"

"Naru, you still up?"

"H-Haruka-san…?! Oh, yes, c-come in!" The housemother slid the shoji door open and poked her head inside. "Is something wrong?"

"You tell me…"

"Wh-what do you mean…?" Naru inwardly cursed the quaver in her voice.

"How's your eye?"

"It's nothing, really…"

"I see… Well, either way, I'm sure you two will work it out. In the meantime…" Slipping a hand into the front pocket of her apron, Haruka retrieved a small vial of dark liquid and tossed it to her tenant. "It should take care of the pain and swelling."

"Thank you…"

"Yeah, yeah… Goodnight, then."

XXX

"See?" Kitsune grinned, working her fingers through his frothy hair. "Doesn't that feel good?" Keitaro slumped back, letting his neck rest against the rim of the tub. He enjoyed the way the shampoo suds hissed playfully in his ear before falling to the water, below. He relished the gentle rhythm of her smooth hands as she massaged his matted scalp. The sensation was almost intoxicating. 'This must be heaven,' he thought.

"Well you certainly got quiet all of a sudden…" she said, teasingly. "What's the matter; haven't ya ever had your hair shampooed, before?"

"Well, when I was back home, my sister used to wash my hair for me, but that was a long time ago… Come to think of it, I'm surprised I even remember."

"I didn't know ya had a sister…"

"Well, I haven't seen her in years, and since I've been so busy, I don't really get a chance to write or anything…"

"What's she like? I'll bet she takes after you!"

"No, no!" he laughed. "We're not related by blood or anything…" Kitsune arched a curious eyebrow.

"Z'at so?"

"But no, Kano-chan's nothing like me at all! She's smart, attractive, loyal… Unbelievably kind…"

"Sounds to me like you two are just alike." Keitaro lowered his head to hide the tint of red creeping over his cheeks. "Time to rinse!" The bewildered landlord looked up just in time to see the bucket of water as she emptied on his head. As he choked on downward stream filling his nose and mouth, he was suddenly reminded of a similar "near-death" experience in Okinawa. So much had happened this year; he'd been to so many places and met so many knew people. As dangerous and unpredictable as it had been, he couldn't help but feel saddened at the prospect of leaving those adventures behind.

"Kitsune-san?"

"Mm?"

"Do you… Do you think I should go with Seta-san?" Kitsune paused, slightly taken aback. "I mean, I've been working my whole to get into Tokyo University, and now after all these years, I feel like my dream is finally within reach. But, at the same time, I enjoy working with Seta-san. When I'm out there digging, everything suddenly makes sense and I feel… I dunno. There's no way I could talk to Naru about it. I don't even want to think about what she'd say to me if she found out what I was thinking… And I still have to tend to all the landlord stuff around here… I suppose I have to grow up sometime, though… Right?" Kitsune stared quizzically down at rounin, unsure of what to say at this point. She was actually at a loss for words. Who knew that Keitaro had such thoughts and concerns?

"To be honest," she began, draping her arms over his dripping shoulders, "I dunno. I've never been the most responsible person in the world, so I can't say I really understand how ya feel… But I do know this: if ya have a chance to do something really great, don't pass it up. If ya do, you'll spend the rest of your life wonderin' what could've been."

"K-Kitsune-san…?"

"I'd better go…" she said, climbing to her feet. "Don't stay in there too long or you'll catch cold." With that, she turned and left the landlord out on the balcony, closing the door behind her.

"Huh? Was it something I said?"

XXX

Kitsune stepped out into the hall and shut the manager's door behind her. 'Stupid,' she hiss, inwardly. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why didn't you tell him the truth?! Why didn't you tell him that you don't want him to go; that you'd be lonely if he left?! Idiot!' She was just about to walk away when she spotted someone out of the corner of her eye. A stern-looking Naru stood propped against the adjacent wall, arms crossed over her chest.

"Oh, hey Naru. 'Didn't know you were standin' there. What's up?" She was almost positive that her friend would storm off without so much as a word, so she was somewhat taken aback when a soft smile warmed the redhead's features.

"I could really use a drink, how about you?"

"Hon, you're speakin' my language…!" The two tenants made their way down the hall to Kitsune's room where the blonde presented her massive collection of various liquors. Settling on a bottle of peach brandy, the pair settled down around the coffee table and pour their respective drinks.

"What a week," Naru sighed. "Days like these almost make me wish I lived alone. I barely got any studying done at all!"

"I hear ya."

"It'll be nice with things finally calm down, again. All this excitement is just too much…" The redhead took a sip of her glass and grimaced. "But, I guess it hasn't been easy for either one of us, huh?"

"Yeah..."

"Between Seta showing up and the idiot, I think we've all had our fill…"

"Yeah, speaking of that... Sorry about sockin' ya in the face, like that," Kitsune murmured through a nervous smile.

"It's alright," Naru shrugged. "I mean, I guess I kind of deserved it, anyway." She paused, taking a moment to brush her fingers tentatively around the bruise. "Man, I'd forgotten how hard you hit."

"Heh heh... My bad." Kitsune finished the last of her drink and poured herself a second glass.

"I don't even know what came over me… I was just so jealous…! Two weeks ago, he could barely fumble his way through elementary trig, then suddenly, he's scoring ten points below the A judgment mark! But, that's still no excuse… I was pretty awful to him, wasn't I?"

"Yeah…"

"Think he hates me, now?" Kitsune narrowed her eyes from behind the rim of her glass.

"C'mon, Naru; this is Keitaro we're talking about. The guy could never hate ANYONE, much less you."

"Yeah, you're probably right…"

"He really looks up to you, ya know? I think more than anything he was lookin' for your approval."

"And I let him down… I'm such an idiot!"

"That makes two of us," the blonde muttered. "Remember when I told you guys that Keitaro and I slept together?"

"How could I forget…?"

"I lied."

"WH-WHAT?!" Naru snapped. "You're kidding, right?"

"Nope."

"B-but… WHY?"

"Well," she explained, "it kinda started off as a joke, you know, just to stir things up… But then things got… I dunno… complicated."

"That's it?!"

"Pretty much," she replied. Despite her outward expression of annoyance, inwardly, Naru let out a sigh of relief. She wasn't sure why, but somehow the thought of Keitaro being "unspoiled" filled her with a sense of solace. Perhaps it was his underlying innocence that made him so appealing. Suddenly, her inner comfort gave way to curiosity, and against her better judgment, she decided to delve deeper.

"So… If you didn't do… "it," what DID you do?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing. He got naked and passed out as soon as he got back to my room…"

"Moron," Naru snorted.

"Tell me about it…" The blonde polished off her second glass, refilled it, and topped of Naru's. "But, I guess it's kind of nice, too…"

"What do you mean?"

"He's helpless; the type of guy that needs a woman to look after him. But even though he manages to screw up just about everything, when push comes to shove, he always comes through. Nice guys like him are pretty rare, these days…"

"I guess you're right..."

"…Which is why I can't just hand this one over to you. Heh heh… Look's like we're rivals, afterall!"

"W-what?!" she squawked. "Get a grip, Kitsune! As if I'd waste my time on some perverted rounin, like him!"

"Oh?" Kitsune lilted. "Okay, then." Naru blushed and lowered her gaze to the glass. She could practically feel the scrutiny behind her friend's smile. She knew there was no way she could fool Kitsune; at least the denial kept her pride intact.

"C-can't we talk about something else?"

"I supposed you'd rather talk about your dear Seta-san, wouldn't ya?" Kitsune posed with a smirk. "It's too bad you missed him, today. He was lookin' especially sexy, today... All dirty and sweaty from working. I mean, if I didn't already have my eye on Keitaro, I would've ripped that shirt off of him so fast…"

"K-K-KITSUNE!!!"

"What? What did I say?"

**Author's Note:** Wow… It's been forever-and-a-half since I've updated. I've been fighting the worst case of writer's block in the history of mankind (that always seems to be the case, with me), but as a treat, I doubled the length. I'm not sure if I was as clear as I wanted to be in this chapter, so if there's anything that you don't understand, let me know. Anyway, hope you enjoyed!


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